Labor Day, the “official” ending of the summer season, no wearing of white till the next Memorial Day, the beginning of work through fall and winter, and . . . what’s that about a connection between Edgar Allan Poe and Winnie the Pooh? For that last, welcome to the first interview for Fall 2018, courtesy of THE TATTOOED BOOK GEEK (cf. August 20), coming to us from across the Atlantic. The answers to questions which sometimes boil down to “I don’t know either” — and some where I do! The origins of ideas? Writers of influence? What can a reader do (other than buying his or her books, of course) to best help an author?

And what of connections not just between Poe and Pooh, but art and death? Revealed perhaps in a peek at the Stoker(R)-nominated THE TEARS OF ISIS. And “mosaic” novels? The hint’s in a note and a blurb for my latest book, TOMBS: A CHRONICLE OF LATTER-DAY TIMES OF EARTH. Again to find out, some things possibly already known, other things all new, one need but click on the books’ own pictures in the center column, and also for British blogger Drew Weldon’s THE TATTOOED BOOK GEEK interview, press here.

Exciting times! Exactly a month ago, July 20, I submitted a reprint, “The Borrowed Man,” originally published in THE GIRL AT THE END OF THE WORLD, BOOK 1 (Fox Spirit Books, 2014 — cf. August 8 2014, et al.), to Digital Fiction Publishing for its upcoming DIGITAL HORROR FICTION anthology. And so the reply received today from Editor/Publisher Michael Wills: Thank you for sending us “The Borrowed Man”. We think it is a great fit and would like to publish it. We will be in touch shortly with a formal contract and details for your review. And then also today, there came not just one, but two contracts to sign, the second for DIGITAL SCIENCE FICTION to republish “The Needle-Heat Gun,” originally in NIGHT LIGHTS (Geminid Press, 2016 — see July 29 this year, et al.), both of which went back this afternoon. “The Borrowed Man,” I might also add, is set in the far-future universe which includes TOMBS: A CHRONICLE OF LATTER-DAY TIMES OF EARTH, although the story is not in the book itself. But should you read it and like it, and have a yen to explore its world further, you can find more by clicking TOMBS’s picture at the top of the center column.

Then for yet more about TOMBS, THE TEARS OF ISIS, and writing in general, word came today that a new interview of me has been scheduled for Monday, September 4, by British blogger/reviewer Drew Weldon for his THE TATTOOED BOOK GEEK. That’s the Labor Day holiday here in the States — plenty of time to read and enjoy it. More on which when the time comes will be here.

Yes, we said “Friday night” (see post just below), but the Gehenna & Hinnom Books interview of me on TOMBS: A CHRONICLE OF LATTER-DAY TIMES OF EARTH is live now! Kudos go to Editor/Interviewer C.P. Dunphey for excellent quickness, as well as great questions on origins, ghouls, use of languages, social cultures, and more. Discover the parts played by whimsy — and guilty pleasures, the influence of Voodoo, and Charlie Chaplin’s “The Little Tramp.” Pre-TOMBS “history.” The long, long path to publication by Elder Signs Press and the inspiration of other authors and books going back to 1485 (and worldviews going back far, far, farther than that). Of keeping one’s place and fun with details. . . .

And so, like a good zombie that just can’t be kept down — not to mention the biggest picture of the book’s cover I’ve seen thus far! — for the “dirt” on TOMBS: A CHRONICLE OF LATTER-DAY TIMES OF EARTH be invited to press here.

SF film fans delight, courtesy of INDIEWIRE.COM let us wallow together in “The 25 Best Sci-Fi Movies of the 21st Century, From ‘Children of Men’ to ‘Her’,” by Chris O’Falt, Graham Winfrey, Kate Erbland, and Zack Sharf, and brought to us via TOR.COM and Stubby the Rocket. With themes that range from love to fear to humanity itself, the best sci-fi movies of the 21st century all share distinctly original visions. . . , begins the rundown, the rest of which can be seen by pressing here. And the neat thing is, in scrolling down through it, I’ve probably seen at least half myself already (who knew I had such good taste?), and even own films numbers 1 through 4!

Then in other quick news, last night I turned in an interview to C.P. Dunphey of Gehenna & Hinnom Books, with questions designed almost exclusively with TOMBS: A CHRONICLE OF LATTER-DAY TIMES OF EARTH in mind. Yes, launch time for the novel is drawing nigh — but there’s still time to get a one-third off pre-publication discount by pressing here (or, for B&N fans, better yet here).* But back to the chase, to quote Mr. Dunphey: These answers are amazing! For audiences, they will be superb, and for me as a reader myself, it answered a lot of questions I had as well. I will post the interview tomorrow night and will send you the link before I post it to any social media. Very excited for this to be published. And yes, I know, would that others would be so enthusiastic!

So look Friday night or, one needing one’s sleep, possibly Saturday morning for a fairly long interview mostly confined to TOMBS. And after June 1st, when the book is out, I understand there may be a review of it too.
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*I understand there should also be an electronic edition of TOMBS, but not quite yet.

Now, about that interview (see May 18 two posts below, April 18) . . . it’s here! Conducted by blogger Gwendolyn Kiste, this is a fairly straightforward one with mentions both of TOMBS: A CHRONICLE OF LATTER-DAY TIMES OF EARTH and my previous book THE TEARS OF ISIS. And possibly one or two surprises too, like the place football takes in my writing routine. Or music and differing narrative styles. Other highlights: My first ever official fiction sale, and how much did I get? What are “honorary weekends”? And, speaking of my writers group (cf. post just below), what of the time the Goth cat Triana added a comment of her own to a member’s story?*

And here it is, the third of my TOMBS-related essays in Heidi Angell’s AN ANGELL’S LIFE OF BOOKISH GOODNESS. This one is titled “The Ghoul-Poet” and has to do in part with the division of TOMBS: A CHRONICLE OF LATTER-DAY TIMES OF EARTH into sections based on what’s sometimes called “Five-Act Dramatic Structure,” the structure of classical plays like those of Shakespeare. Well, that sounds pretty fancy, but then what’s a ghoul doing being a poet? “The Ghoul-Poet” joins my previous guest posts “It Began With a Map” on March 30 and “What’s a Novel-In-Stories?” on February 9, concerning, respectively, building the world of the “Tombs” and the reasons for choosing a mosaic, or novel-in-stories format for its presentation.

So, okay, then what is a ghoul doing being a poet? To find out, press here. Also there are links in the essay to my first guest post, on mosaic novels, and a month before that, on January 9, Heidi’s original interview of me, as well as to Amazon’s page on TOMBS where, at least as of this writing, a bargain $9.95 pre-order price is still being offered*. (For the second essay, however, you’ll have to scroll down to March 30 and use the link there.)

Then a quick, somewhat related note: TEARS, TOMBS, and contributions by the Goth cat Triana? And what about the influence of music? Yes, an all new interview of me is in the offing, this one conducted by Gwendolyn Kiste (cf. April 18), and has now been officially scheduled for this coming Monday, May 22. This will be part of a series of interviews I’ve given this year (cf. April 7, March 13, January 10) leading up to next month and the June 1 release date for TOMBS: A CHRONICLE OF LATTER-DAY TIMES OF EARTH. So, sure, the purpose is commercial too, but there still should lurk a few fun facts (or so one might hope) about me.

See you all Monday?

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*Or one can always just press TOMBS: A CHRONICLE OF LATTER-DAY TIMES OF EARTH’s picture in the center column.

Another month, another interview, so it may seem. See, e.g., April 7, March 13, January 10 . . . and that’s just this year! But come June 1, TOMBS: A CHRONICLE OF LATTER DAY TIMES OF EARTH is expected to be published and it’s all a part of getting the word out. Besides, interviews can be interesting both to reader and interviewee if one puts one’s mind to it. And even fun.

So word came today from blogger Gwendolyn Kiste who interviews quite a number of writers, samples of which can be found by pressing here. Thank you so much for your responses! At this point, it appears that the interview should go live on my website in mid-May. I will definitely send you an email when I post it.

And there we have it. More secrets bared: My writing habits (some of them quite bad). The influence of music. Contributions by the goth cat Triana. And with this the latest on THE TEARS OF ISIS and, lest we forget, TOMBS: A CHRONICLE OF LATTER-DAY TIMES OF EARTH. One of the fun things, in fact, is that each interviewer is different as well, not just in their questions (some of these, of course, may be common to more than one interview) but also in their approaches to questioning. Matter of fact? Interested in detail? Fun-loving? Quirky?

Search on “Interview” in the “search here” box at the upper right for a tour of the dates I’ve listed above — a possible project for an otherwise dull rainy day? And check here in May for a link to the newest by Gwendolyn Kiste as soon as I have it!

Secrets, secrets. What was my “first ever” book, and why? (Hint, long out of print, you usually won’t see it in my current bio-notes.) Do I claim a specific writing style? Does my novel TOMBS: A CHRONICLE OF LATTER-DAY TIMES OF EARTH have an ultimate message for readers (and what is the relation of TOMBS to what dramatists call “the five act structure”)? In the process of coming up with a title, how did TOMBS differ from THE TEARS OF ISIS? And now the answers, to questions I wouldn’t have dreamed up myself and many, many more have been revealed, courtesy of blogger extraordinaire Fiona Mcvie on AUTHORSINTERVIEWS.

And maybe a little more will be there on ISIS as well, or how Peter Lorre might have made a good “Ghoul-Poet.” If curious, press here. (And if interest is piqued by what you find, links are provided at the bottom for pre-ordering TOMBS as well as ordering THE TEARS OF ISIS — or if in a hurry, just click on their pictures on this page in the center column.)

If you’re familiar with Smart Rhino’s anthologies (and we certainly hope you are!), you may remember his stories “The Wellmaster’s Daughter” in UNCOMMON ASSASSINS, and “Labyrinth” in INSIDIOUS ASSASSINS. His story “Golden Age” will be published in ZIPPERED FLESH 3, now in production. So marks the start of Monday’s outing of Smart Rhino Press Editor/Publisher Weldon Burge’s blog, BULLETS AND BUTTERFLIES. Here you will find things concerning my collection THE TEARS OF ISIS and the lure of short stories, as well as my upcoming novel TOMBS: A CHRONICLE OF LATTER-DAY TIMES OF EARTH, though of the latter the publication date is now set for June (i.e. rather than “spring,” which only means things sometimes get out of date; also the poet Allan Poe may be better known as Edgar Allan, but typos can happen too). Also the blog itself may seem familiar, having also been published in Smart Rhino Publications’s own January NEWSLETTER (see January 18). But as Weldon himself says on his Facebook page: Just posted my interview with Bram Stoker nominee (and frequent writer for Smart Rhino Publications) James Dorr. His story “Golden Age,” will appear in the upcoming ZIPPERED FLESH 3. He has some great advice for writers from his own experience. So maybe it will be worth reading anew.

Saturday brings us news that THE BOOK OF BLASPHEMOUS WORDS (cf. January 27, et. al) has been released on Kindle with, according to publisher A Murder of Storytellers, the paperback version hopefully to be available soon. More here as it becomes known. This is the one about people’s relationships with their gods, not always as lovely as one might hope, with my “burnt” offering about a lad who apparently couldn’t get to hell, with a cautionary note to preachers. Titled “Tit for Tat,” it’s a poem in the class sometimes called “Little Willies,” humorous quasi-Victorian takes on boys who cause, or have caused to them dire things.

Then one more quick note: Word came last night from Heidi Angell, who we may recall from her interview of me last month (see January 10), that she plans to use an essay by me on her blog sometime next week. Again, more here as it becomes known. The essay is titled “What is a Novel-In-Stories?” and explains why that form may be superior to more straightforward narrative for some applications, with special reference to my own upcoming TOMBS: A CHRONICLE OF LATTER-DAY TIMES OF EARTH (due in June from Elder Signs Press, for more information on which click its picture in the center column).

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About Me

Be on the watch for my newest book, TOMBS: A CHRONICLE OF LATTER-DAY TIMES OF EARTH, a novel-in-stories just released from Elder Signs Press in June 2017. I am an Indiana based short story writer and poet with three primarily prose collections, STRANGE MISTRESSES: TALES OF WONDER AND ROMANCE and DARKER LOVES: TALES OF MYSTERY AND REGRET published by Dark Regions Press and the Bram Stoker Award(R) nominated THE TEARS OF ISIS from Perpetual Motion Machine Publishing, and an illustrated all-poetry collection, VAMPS (A RETROSPECTIVE), from Sam’s Dot Publishing/ White Cat Publications. I also have a novelette, THE GARDEN (currently out of print) from Damnation Books; electronic chapbooks VANITAS and I’M DREAMING OF A . . . and novelette PEDS from Untreed Reads Publishing; POLUDNITSA in Chamberton Publishing’s “Chimera” short fantasy series; and more than five hundred individual appearances in magazines and anthologies in the US, Canada, Britain, France, Australia, Holland, and Brazil, ranging from ABORIGINAL SCIENCE FICTION and ALFRED HITCHCOCK’S MYSTERY MAGAZINE to XENOPHILIA and THE YELLOW BAT REVIEW. In the past I have worked a number of jobs including technical writer, city editor on a regional magazine, full time non-fiction freelancer, and semi-professional musician, and now reside in southern Indiana with current cat, Triana, named for the goth-styled daughter of Dr. Orpheus in the VENTURE BROS. Cartoon Channel series. As a writer, I count as influences (among others) Edgar Allan Poe, Ray Bradbury, Allen Ginsberg, and Bertolt Brecht.